Vehicle-wheel.



H. W. HENRY.

VEHIGLE WHEEL. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 31, 1910.

1,019,896, Patented Mar. 12, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Witneses:

MA? WW ma ill-w Attorneys.

H. W. HENRY.

VEHICLE WHEEL.

\ APPLICATION FILED AUG. 31. 1910.

Patented Mar. 12, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Witnesses Attorn eys UNITED STATES FTENT OFFICE.

HAYES W. HENRY, OF MELVERN, KANSAS.

VEHICLE-WHEEL.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, I-Lxvns W. HENRY, a

citizen of the United States, residing at out the disadvantages.

position of the parts.

A further object is to so arrange the parts of the wheel that all jarsand shocks shall be absorbed in a manner that will not only serve toprotect the wheel from raking, but will also cause the wheel to be assmooth running as one provided with a pneumatic tire.

A further object is to construct and assemble the parts of the wheel insuch manner as to insure durability in use, and facilitate repairs whennecessary.

With the above and other objects in view,

as will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, thesame consists in the novel construction and combination of parts of avehicle wheel, as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, andin which like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts:Figure 1 is a side elevation of a Wheel constructed in accordance withthe present invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional detail viewshowing the interior of a portion of the wheel. Fig. 3 is a detail viewof a spoke and the felly, showing the normal Fig. 4 is a similar viewshowing the position of the parts exhibited in Fig. 3 when undercompressive strain. Fig. 5 is a detail view of a strain equalizer. Fig.6 is a transverse sectional View taken on the line 6-6 Fig. 1. Fig. 7 isa transverse sectional view taken on the line 77 Fig. 4. Fig. 8 is asection on the line 88 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a hub of any preferred form, and2 the spokes, which in this instance are of wood, and each has a lengthof its portion sheathed in a metallic sleeve 3 for a purpose that willpresently appear. The outer ends of the spokes are seated in a woodenfelly 1 which is disconnected from the tire, or rather the tread of thetire, in order to allow the two parts Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 31, 1910.

Patented Mar. 12, 1912.

Serial No. 579,797.

to have movement independently of each other.

The tire comprises a metallic tread 5 and a metallic rim 6 each beingapproximately semi-circular in cross section, and held assembled attheir meeting edges by reinforcing strips 7 which are bolted orotherwise secured to the interior of the two parts. Secured to theinterior of the tread and rim at distances apart equal to the spacebetween the outer ends of the spokes are pairs of filler blocks 8, whichmay be of any material suitable for the purpose, and which are held inposition by belts or screws 9 that also pass through the rim, and areremovable from the exterior thereof when necessary. Secured to the innerfaces of each pair of filler blocks are the two arms of a yoke 10, thebend 11 of which is provided with an elongated orifice 11 through whichpasses the spoke 2, and it is to protect the spoke from wear by contactwith the walls of the orifice that the metallic sleeve 3 is provided.

As will be seen by reference to Figs. 3 and 1, the felly is disposedbetween the filler blocks and is out of contact with the adjacentportions of the yoke thus to insure ready sliding movement of the tirerelatively to the felly without any objectionable frictional contactbetween the parts. Mounted upon the spoke are two collars 12 and 13,which freely slide thereon, and are limited in their upward and downwardmovements by jam-nuts 14: and 15 that are threaded on the spoke, asclearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Pivoted to opposite sides of the collar12 are two slide bars 16, and pivoted to opposite sides of the collar 13are two similar bars 17, and these two sets of bars overlap and areprovided with longi; tudinal slots 18 and 19, respectively, which areengaged by screws 20, the heads of which bear against the inner faces ofthe slide bars 16 and the shanks of which project outward throughopenings in the arms of the yoke. Arranged upon that portion of thespoke between the collars 12 and 13 is a coiled spring 21 the terminalsof which bear against the collars as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 1, andthe tension of this spring may readily be adjusted by manipulating thejam-nuts 1 1 and 15 as required. In order to shield that portion of thespoke including the spring, slide bars and yoke, from dust and moisture,there is a housing 22 provided which incloses the parts named, and issecured to the rim at its outer end, by screws 23 and 9. The housing isin two sections, and each is provided with flanges 24, and the two setsof flanges are held firmly assembled by screws or bolts 25.

As a means tor equalizing the strains between the telly and rim, theform of equalizer shown in Fig. 5 is employed, tour being used onconnection with the telly and each pair of filler blocks. The equalizercomprises in part two slide bars the ends 0t which are brought togetherto form a twopart tongue 27 that is pivoted at 28 in a slot formed inthe adjacent filler block. Two other slide bars 29 complete the frame otthe equalizer, the ends of which are also brought together to form a.two-part tongue 30 which is bolted to a bracket 31 secured to the telly,as shown in Fig. 2. The overlapped portions of the slide bars areslotted, and arranged between the bars are two plugs 32 that are held inoperative position relative to the equalizer by bolts 33 that passthrough the slots, the bolts also serving to maintain the two sets ofslide barsin operative relation. The opposed faces of the plugs areprovided with lugs that are engaged by the terminal coils of a spiralspring '35 that operates normally to maintain the plugs in the positionshown in Fig. 5. It will be seen that by the employment of theseequalizers a large portion of the strain or shocks to which the tread issubjected in skidding will be absorbed, thus to obviate raking of thewheel to a large extent. l/Vhen the wheel is running, the pressure onthe tire is transmitted by the tiller blocks to the yoke 10, and thelatter through the bolts 20 to the two sets ot slide bars 16 and 17,causing the two collars 12 and 13 to approach each other and thuscompress the spring 21, with the result that shocks and jars arepositively absorbed. It will be seen that the radial movement of thetire with respect to the telly either outward or inward trom normalposition will compress the spring 21, thus tending to return the tire tonormal position. Upon the tire and telly moving longitudinally withrespect to each other the bars 16 and 17 torm a toggle joint therebycompressing the spring 21 to assist the spring 35 in returning the saidparts to normal position. Thus it will be seen that the springs 21around the wheel will be continually under compression as the wheel isin use thus adding to the efiiciency ot the wheel. In order to brace thescrews or bolts 20 at their outer terminals, these extend through thewalls of the housing 22 and carry nuts 36, as shown in Fig. 1.

It will be seen from the foregoing deto the yoke whereby the spring iscompressed upon a radial movement ot the tire.

2. A wheel comprising a tire embodying a rim and a tread, a telly housedwithin but out 0t contact with the tire, spaced segmental filler blockssecured to the tire on each side of the telly, a yoke secured to thefiller blocks, pairs of slide bars mounted on the spoke, a springcoacting with the slide bars, and bolts passing through the slide barsand the yoke whereby yielding ot the tire will cause compression of thespring and thus the absorption of shocks.

3. A wheel comprising a tire, a telly, a spoke secured to the telly, ayoke secured to the tire, a pair of collars on the spoke, a coiledspring on the spoke between the col-- lars, bars pivoted to the collarsand having slots therein, and members passing through the said slots andengaging the yoke.

4. A wheel comprising a tire, a telly, a spoke secured to the telly, ayoke secured to the tire, a pair of collars on the spoke, a coiledspring on the spoke between the collars, adjustable members on the spoketo limit the movements of the respective collars, and means connectingthe said collars to the yoke, whereby the spring is compressed upon aradial movem-entot the tire.

5. A wheel comprising a tire embodying a rim and a tread, a telly housedin but out of contact with the tire, spaced segmental filler blockssecured to the tire on each side of the telly, a yoke secured to thefiller blocks and having an elongated opening in its bend, a spokeextending through said opening, pairs of slide bars arranged on eachside ot the spoke, a spring coacting with the slide bars, bolts passingthrough the slide bars and the yoke, and a housing around the yoke andsecured in place by said bolts and by other bolts attaching to the rim.

In testimony that I claim the toregoing as my own, I have hereto afiixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

HAYES W. HENRY.

l Vitnesses F. U. JUDD, W. T. APPIER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

